Container in Metal Sheet

ABSTRACT

The container comprises a peripheral side wall ( 10 ), whose upper peripheral edge ( 10   c ) defines a retention hook ( 11 ) with a profile in the form of an inverted U, having an inner side leg ( 11   a ), an arched base leg ( 11   b ) and an outer lateral leg ( 11   c ). An upper end wall ( 20 ) of the container comprises a median panel ( 21 ) and a peripheral upper skirt ( 22 ) having an end edge ( 22   c ) defining a closure hook ( 23 ) with a profile in the form of an inverted U, having an inner side portion ( 23   a ), an arched base portion ( 23   b ), and an outer side portion ( 23   c ) which incorporates an upwardly projecting end flange ( 23   d ). The closure hook ( 23 ) is fitted onto the retention hook ( 11 ) and radially inwardly deformed, compressing an elastic sealing element ( 40 ) between the two hooks and maintaining the end flange ( 23   d ) projecting upwardly to the interior of the retention hook ( 11 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a container formed in metal sheet, suchas a closed pail or other container comprising a peripheral side wall,with a cylindrical form or an inverted and slightly frusto-conical formand presenting an upper end portion and a lower end portion, to whichrespective end walls are attached.

PRIOR ART

The containers of the type considered herein have their upper and lowerend walls respectively and peripherally double-seamed in the upper endportion and lower end portion of the peripheral side wall, the upper endwall being provided with a generally eccentric opening having a contoursubstantially smaller than that of the peripheral side wall, and with agripping handle contained in the interior of the axial projection of thecontour of the container, in order to allow the latter to be lifted bythe gripping handle attached only on the upper end wall. The openingprovided on the upper end wall is configured to define a seat in whichis applied a lid generally formed in a plastic material.

Due to the complexity of the double-seaming processes, which require theuse of specific and expensive equipment, these double-seaming phases inthe manufacture of the container considered herein are rarely carriedout in the product filling facilities.

Thus, the containers are closed in the manufacturer's facilities, bydouble-seaming the end walls to the peripheral side wall of thecontainer, being then shipped to the facilities for filling the productto be commercialized. Since the containers are shipped with the endwalls already double-seamed to the peripheral side wall, they cannot befitted one inside the other, requiring to be arranged side-by-side andstacked in transport vehicles and also in the storage places, both atthe container manufacturer and at the filling facilities, requiring aphysical space presenting an undesirable large volume in relation to themass of the material, considerably increasing the shipping and storagecosts and requiring special cares to transport these containers.

Another drawback of these containers supplied to the responsible for thefilling operation with the end walls already attached, generally bydouble-seaming, results from the fact that the filling can be onlycarried out through the opening of reduced dimension provided in theupper end wall. Thus, the time for filling the product is longer thanthat corresponding to the filling carried out without the upper endwall, as it occurs upon filling containers which are superiorly closedby a removable lid and provided with a suspension handle applied to theperipheral side wall and not to the lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Due to the drawbacks mentioned above, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a container in metal sheet, having a peripheralside wall, a lower end wall and an upper end wall provided with a smalldischarge opening and with a suspension handle and which upper end wallcan be easily, quickly, reliably and hermetically affixed to theperipheral side wall by the filler of the product to be packaged,without requiring double-seaming operations.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container asmentioned above, whose upper end wall is attached to the peripheral sidewall, in order to comply with the safety and hermeticity internationalrules applied to the metallic containers designed for storing dangerousproducts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a closurearrangement for a container as defined above, which has its peripheralside wall configured to be partially and telescopically fitted in theinterior of the peripheral side wall of another container generallydisposed under the first container upon stacking.

In order to attain the object mentioned above, the invention proposes acontainer in metal sheet, of the type which comprises a peripheral sidewall having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, to whichrespective upper and lower end walls are attached.

According to the invention, the upper end portion has a peripheral edgewhich is bent to define a retention hook with a profile in the form ofan inverted U, having an inner lateral leg defined by part of the upperend portion, an arched base leg and an outer lateral leg converging inrelation to the inner lateral leg. The upper end wall comprises a medianpanel and a peripheral upper skirt to be fitted and seated in theinterior of the upper end portion and having a end edge which is bent todefine a closure hook whose profile has the form of an inverted U,having an inner side portion defined by an upper part of the peripheralupper skirt, an arched base portion and an outer side portion convergingin relation to the inner side portion and incorporating, internally, anupwardly projecting end flange, the inner side portion, the arched baseportion and the outer side portion of the closure hook being internallyand respectively seated against the inner side leg, the arched base legand the outer lateral leg of the retention hook, with the end flangeprojecting upwardly to the interior of the retention hook, between theouter side portion and the inner side portion of the latter, and withthe arched base leg and the arched base portion compressing an elasticsealing element therebetween.

In order to increase even more the degree of axial retention of theupper end wall, one of the parts defined by the upper end portion and bythe peripheral upper skirt of the upper end wall is provided with atleast one circumferential retention rib turned to the other of saidparts, whilst the other part is provided with a circumferentialretention groove defined between two face portions and conformed to befitted onto the retention rib, upon fitting the upper end wall in theinterior of the upper end portion of the peripheral side wall and uponseating of the face portions of said other part against the first ofsaid parts.

The additional axial locking obtained by the mutual engagement of ribsand grooves can be provided with an elastic sealing ring to guaranteethe tightness of the upper closure of the container, even in case ofimpact or fall of the latter.

With the proposed construction, the upper end wall can be fitted andhermetically and reliably affixed to the peripheral side wall, withoutrequiring costly and complex double-seaming operations. Thus, thecontainers can be manufactured and sent to the filler with the upper endwall still separated from the peripheral side wall and to be affixedthereto by the filler. In this case, the lower end wall can be affixed,by double-seaming, to the respective end portion of the peripheral sidewall, by the container manufacturer, before being shipped to the filler.

In the solution proposed herein, the filler can use the whole crosssection of one of the end portions, generally the upper, to carry outthe filling of the product, reducing the operation time before providingthe fitting and retention of the respective end wall in the interior ofthe peripheral side wall, by means of simple and joint axial and radialcompression operations.

In case the peripheral side wall is constructed so as to be tapered fromone end portion to the other, generally from the upper end portion tothe lower end portion, in a continuous or stepped manner, the containerscan be stored and shipped without the upper end wall and in a conditionin which they remain partially fitted one inside the other in stacks,allowing a substantial economy in storage and transportation volumeuntil they are closed at the filling facility and, preferably, after thefilling operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below, with reference to the encloseddrawings, given by way of example of possible embodiments of theinvention and in which:

FIG. 1 represents a top plan view of the present container, with itsperipheral side wall presenting a circular contour;

FIG. 2 represents a partial diametrical sectional view of the container,according to a first embodiment and illustrating the upper end wall andlower end wall affixed to the peripheral side wall, said section takenaccording to line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A represents an enlarged exploded detail of the region of FIG. 2,which illustrates the fitting of the upper end wall in the upper endportion of the peripheral side wall, illustrating the form of thecomponent parts before seating the upper end wall onto the peripheralside wall;

FIG. 3B represents the same detail of FIG. 3A, but illustrating theupper end wall already seated and only provisionally retained in theperipheral side wall;

FIG. 3C represents the same detail of FIGS. 3A and 3B, but illustratingthe upper end wall already hermetically and strongly seamed in theperipheral side wall;

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C represent views respectively similar to those ofFIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, but illustrating a second embodiment of theinvention, according to which the upper end portion of the peripheralside wall and the peripheral upper skirt of the upper end wall are alsolocked to each other by the mutual groove-rib engagement provided insaid parts;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C represent views respectively similar to those ofFIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, but illustrating a third embodiment of theinvention, according to which the groove-rib locking between theperipheral side wall and the upper end wall is further provided with anelastic sealing ring; and

FIG. 6 represents a partial diametrical sectional view of two containersconstructed according to the first embodiment and deprived of the upperend wall and partially fitted one into the other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present closure arrangement is applied to a container formed in ametal sheet, usually tinplate, and comprising a peripheral side wall 10,forming a tubular body with any polygonal cross section, usuallycircular and having an upper end portion 10 a and a lower end portion 10b, in which respective upper end wall 20 and lower end wall 30 areaffixed.

According to the drawings, the lower end wall 30 is preferablydouble-seamed, by the container manufacturer, to the lower end portion10 b of the peripheral side wall 10, according to a well known prior artconstructive arrangement.

The upper end wall 20 comprises a median panel 21, optionally providedwith well known prior art stiffening circumferential ridges and with aperipheral upper skirt 22 projecting axially outwardly and which isconfigured to be tightly fitted, under interference, in the interior ofthe upper end portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS.2, 3A, 3B and 3C and which is maintained in the other embodiments, theupper end portion 10 a has a peripheral edge 10 c which is outwardly anddownwardly bent in order to define a retention hook 11 with a profile inthe approximate form of an inverted U, having an inner lateral leg 11 adefined by part of the upper end portion 10 a, an arched base leg 11 band an outer lateral leg 11 c which, initially, does not need to beconvergent in relation to the inner lateral leg 11, as illustrated inFIGS. 3A, 4A and 5A, which illustrate the bent peripheral edge 10 c in afirst stage, configured to allow only the provisional seating andretention of the upper end wall 20. In this first stage, the retentionhook 11 also presents a slightly opened profile. On the other hand, theupper end wall 20 is configured to have its peripheral upper skirt 22fitted and seated in the interior of the upper end portion 10 a andprovided with an end edge 22 c which is outwardly, downwardly andinwardly bent so as to define a closure hook 23 with a profile in theform of an inverted U, having an inner side portion 23 a defined by anupper part of the peripheral upper skirt 22, an arched base portion 23 band an outer side portion 23 c which, before seating the upper end wall20 onto the peripheral side wall 10, presents an inwardly bent profile,but spaced from the inner side portion 23 a.

The outer side portion 23 c incorporates, internally, an end flange 23 dwhich projects upwardly and inclined in an upward and outward manner.

The exploded views 3A, 4A and 5A illustrate the form imparted to theparts before closing the container. In this stage, the diameter of thefree end edge of the outer lateral leg 11 c is smaller than the diameterof the free upper edge of the end flange 23 d, whereby, upon seating theupper end wall 20 in the condition illustrated in FIGS. 3B, 4B and 5B,both said parts suffer an elastic deformation, allowing the end flange23 d to be fitted under the free end edge of the outer lateral leg 11 cof the retention hook 11.

Before seating the upper end wall 20 onto the peripheral side wall 10,it is applied or otherwise aggregated an elastic sealing element 40internally to the base portion 23 b of the closure hook 23, orexternally to the base leg 11 b of the retention hook 11. This elasticsealing element 40 can be defined, for example, by a plastisol gasketextended over part of the inner side portion 23 a of the closure hook 23or over part of the inner lateral leg 11 a of the retention hook 11.

Being the container ready to be closed, after having already received,preferably before the previous seating and retention of the upper endwall 20, the product to be packaged, the retention hook 11 and theclosure hook 23 can be thus submitted to a radial compression, to becarried out by any known annular device for this type of radialdeformation in circular bodies, which device is not illustrated hereinsince it does not form part of the present invention.

The deformation imparted to the retention hook 11 and to the closurehook 23 produces a “seaming” of the closure hook 23 onto the retentionhook 11, compressing the elastic sealing element 40 between the base leg11 b of the retention hook 11 and the base portion 23 b of the closurehook 23. It is possible for the elastic sealing element 40 to present apart of its extension penetrating and being compressed between the innerlateral leg 11 a of the retention hook 11 and the inner side portion 23a of the closure hook 23.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3C, 4C and 5C, after the radial compression ofthe two hooks 11 and 23, the inner side portion 23 a, the arched baseportion 23 b and the outer side portion 23 c of the closure hook 23 areinternally and respectively seated against the inner side leg 11 a, thearched base leg 11 b and the outer lateral leg 11 c of the retentionhook 11, with the end flange 23 d projecting upwardly to the interior ofthe retention hook 11, between the outer side portion 23 c and the innerside portion 23 a of the latter.

Further as illustrated, after finishing the deformation of both theretention hook 11 and the closure hook 23, the outer lateral leg 11 c ofthe retention hook 11 and the outer side portion 23 c of the closurehook 23 assume a substantially straight and downwardly and radiallyinwardly inclined profile, guaranteeing a strong, reliable and tightfixation of the upper end wall 20 to the peripheral side wall 10.

With the purpose of facilitating the accommodation of the two parts tobe fixed to each other, as well as the operations of plastic deformationof the metal sheet during the initial and final formation of the twohooks, the inner lateral leg 11 a and the inner side portion 23 a of theretention hook 11 and the closure hook 23, respectively, are initiallyconformed to present an inclined profile that is substantiallyrectilinear and slightly inclined upwardly and radially outwardly.

Considering that the construction of the present container aims atobtaining a closure which is easily executed, but sufficiently resistantto comply with the safety requirements imposed to the containers ofdangerous products, the peripheral side wall can be provided with energyabsorbing means by controlled plastic deformation. Thus, the peripheralside wall 10 can present two regions respectively adjacent to the upperend portion 10 a and lower end portion 10 b, each occupying about 10% to15% of the height of the peripheral side wall 10 and conformed in aplurality of circumferential ribs 10 d and grooves 10 e presenting aprofile in the form of a laid V with a rounded apex. These regionspresent a pleated structure which tends to be deformed before an unduedeformation of the container occurs in the regions in which the endwalls 20, 30 are affixed to the peripheral side wall 10.

As better observed in FIGS. 1 and 2, considering that the two end walls20 and 30 are definitively affixed to the peripheral side wall 10, themedian panel 21 of the upper end wall 20 is provided with a generallyeccentric opening 21 a of smaller diameter, and with a gripping handle50 generally positioned in the central region of said upper end wall 20,the gripping handle 50 being integrally affixed in said upper end wall20, so as to allow the container, even if filled, to be lifted by saidgripping handle 50. In this type of construction, the smaller diameteropening 21 a is usually closed by a removable lid, preferablyconstructed in a plastic material and which is not illustrated herein,as it forms no part of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate a second embodiment for the presentcontainer, including, besides the peripheral upper seaming describedinsofar, an additional axial retention of the upper end wall 20.

According to said second embodiment, which can be applied to all thecharacteristics described up to now, one of the parts defined by theperipheral upper skirt 22 of the upper end wall 20 and by the upper endportion 10 a is provided with at least one circumferential retention rib24 turned to the other of said parts. In the illustrated example, theretention rib 24 is externally provided in the peripheral upper skirt 22of the upper end wall 20. The other part, exemplarily defined by theupper end portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10, is provided witha circumferential retention groove 14 defined between two face portions15 and conformed to be fitted onto the retention rib 24, upon thefitting of the upper end wall 20 in the interior of the upper endportion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10 and upon the seating of theface portions 15 of the upper end portion 10 a against the peripheralupper skirt 22.

In the illustrated construction, the retention rib and the retentiongroove (24,14) are formed by deforming the metal sheet of the respectiveparts and present a cross section with the approximate form of a roundedV, formed in convex and concave arcs, respectively. This constructiveform facilitates the fitting of the upper end wall 20 in the interior ofthe upper end portion 10 a, simultaneously providing the necessarydegree of mechanical interference between the rib and the groove, so asto aid in the axial retention of the upper end wall 20.

In the illustrated construction, one of the parts defined by the upperend portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10 and by the peripheralupper skirt 22 of the upper end wall 20, in this case the peripheralupper skirt 22 being externally provided with two (or more) axiallyspaced retention ribs 24,25 forming, therebetween, an intermediary faceportion 26 in said skirt part. The axially outermost retention rib 24 isfitted into a respective retention groove 14 internally formed in theother part, which is exemplarily defined herein by the upper outerportion 10 a, upon seating the intermediary face portion 26 of theperipheral upper skirt 22 against a confronting face portion 15 of theother part defined by the upper end portion 10 a. The axially innermostcircumferential rib 25 of the peripheral upper skirt 22 is configured tobe seated against a retention portion 16 of the other part defined bythe upper end portion 10 a, axially locking the upper end wall 20 to theperipheral side wall 10.

In the illustrated constructive form, the axially innermost face portion15 of the upper end portion 10 a presents an internally convex archedprofile, to be seated against the intermediary face portion 26, of theperipheral upper skirt 22, presenting an externally concave archedprofile. On the other hand, the axially outermost face portion 15presents an internally convex arched profile, to be seated against anend face portion 28, in an externally concave arched profile, of theperipheral upper skirt 22.

Although the illustrated construction presents two circumferential ribs24, 25 in the peripheral upper skirt 22 of the upper end wall 20 and acircumferential groove in the upper end portion 10 a of the peripheralside wall 10, it should be understood that the number of circumferentialribs 24, 25 can be even greater.

It should be further observed that the circumferential ribs 24, 25 canbe provided in the upper end portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall10, with the circumferential groove 14 being provided in the peripheralupper skirt 22 of the upper end wall 20. It should be also noted thatboth the circumferential groove and the circumferential ribs can beprovided in both parts defined by the peripheral upper skirt 22 and bythe upper end portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10, although theillustrated embodiment provides two circumferential ribs 24, 25 radiallyprojecting in the same direction in the peripheral upper skirt 22 of theupper end wall 20. Considering that the container is formed in metalsheet, both the circumferential ribs 24, 25 and the circumferentialgroove 14 are preferably obtained by deforming the metal sheet of therespective parts of the container.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, illustrate a third embodiment for the presentcontainer, including, besides the peripheral upper seaming previouslydescribed, an additional axial retention and an additional sealing ofthe upper end wall 20.

According to this third embodiment, the upper end portion 10 a of theperipheral side wall 10 internally presents a circumferential recess 18,with the profile in the form of a laid V, having the apex rounded in aconvex arc and the sides coincident with the peripheral side wall 10 ofthe container.

It should be understood that the circumferential recess 18 can presentother profiles besides the one illustrated herein, such as a profilewith a triangular cross section, and, for example, constituted by aplurality of portions of circumferential recess 18 distributed along oneor more planes orthogonal to the axis of the container, each actuatingagainst a respective region of the peripheral upper skirt 22, so as tolock the latter against the container.

According to said third embodiment, the peripheral upper skirt 22 of theupper end wall 20 is externally provided with a circumferential rib 29configured to be partially or totally fitted in the circumferentialrecess 18 of the upper end portion 10 a, and with a circumferentialgroove 29 a positioned inferiorly to the circumferential rib 29 andconfigured to house an elastic sealing ring 60, for example inelastomer, which is kept seated against a generally cylindrical sealingportion 18 a, of the peripheral side wall 10, defined beneath thecircumferential recess 18 of the latter, the circumferential groove 29 abeing conformed to maintain the elastic sealing ring 60 radially spacedback in relation to the circumferential rib 29.

According to the drawings, the circumferential rib 29 presents a profilein the form of a laid V, having the apex rounded in a convex arc and thesides coincident with the peripheral upper skirt 22, allowing defining acircumferential step external to said skirt, without producing anycutting edge in the outer surface of the latter. In a similar manner,the circumferential groove 29 a presents a profile in the form of a laidV, having the apex rounded in a convex arc and the sides coincident withthe peripheral upper skirt 22.

In the illustrated construction, the sealing portion 18 a of theperipheral side wall 10 is defined by an axial extension of the latter,presenting an inner diameter inferior to the smallest diameter of aretention portion 18 b of the peripheral side wall 10 defined betweensaid sealing portion 18 a and the peripheral edge 10 c of the upper endportion 10 a, allowing the elastic sealing ring 60, slightly projectingfrom the circumferential groove 29 a, to be compressed against saidsealing portion 18 a, in order to guarantee tightness to the closure ofthe container, without said elastic sealing ring 60 contacting theperipheral edge 10 c of the upper end portion 10 a, as well as theretention portion 18 b during the mounting axial displacement of theupper end wall. The sealing portion 18 a of the peripheral side wall 10presents an inner diameter inferior to the inner diameter of theextension of the peripheral side wall 10 disposed immediately beneath.

The positioning of the elastic sealing ring 60 prevents degradation ofthe inner protecting varnish and of the respective metal sheet regions,in said region of mutual metal-metal friction between the peripheralupper skirt 22 and the peripheral side wall 10 of the container, fromcontaminating and deteriorating the packaged product.

As already previously mentioned and as illustrated in FIG. 6 of theenclosed drawings, the peripheral side wall 10 of the container can beconstructed to allow the partial telescopic fitting between two stackedcontainers. In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral side wall 10has an inverted and slightly frusto-conical form, the smaller basecoinciding with the lower end wall and the larger base being preferablysituated in a plane axially spaced back in relation to the mountingplane of the upper end wall 20 and in which the peripheral side wall 10is deformed to define an outer circumferential projection 19.

With this construction, a container can be telescopically fitted insideanother inferiorly disposed container deprived of the upper end wall,this fitting, illustrated in FIG. 6, being carried out until the outercircumferential projection 19 is seated onto the free edge of the upperend portion 10 a of the peripheral side wall 10, allowing the thusstacked containers to occupy a total volume substantially inferior tothe volume that would be occupied with the same number of inferiorly andsuperiorly closed containers stacked one on top of the other. With thispartial fitting arrangement, the containers can be stored and shippedwith a great economy in volume and, accordingly, in cost.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein,it should be understood that the present closure arrangement can sufferalterations in the form and physical arrangement of its component parts,without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claimsthat accompany the present specification.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A container in metal sheet, comprising a peripheralside wall having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, to whichrespective upper end wall and lower end wall are affixed, the upper endportion having a peripheral edge which is outwardly and downwardly bentso as to define a retention hook with a profile in the form of aninverted U, having an inner lateral leg defined by part of the upper endportion, an arched base leg, and an outer lateral leg converging inrelation to the inner lateral leg, the upper end wall comprising amedian panel and a peripheral upper skirt to be fitted and seated in theinterior of the upper end portion and having an end edge which isoutwardly, downwardly and inwardly bent so as to define a closure hookwith a profile in the form of an inverted U, having an inner sideportion defined by the upper part of the peripheral upper skirt, anarched base portion, and an outer side portion converging in relation tothe inner side portion and incorporating, internally, an end flangeprojecting upwardly, the inner side portion, the arched base portion andthe outer side portion of the closure hook being internally andrespectively seated against the inner side leg, the arched base leg andthe outer lateral leg of the retention hook, with the end flangeprojecting upwardly to the interior of the retention hook, between theouter side portion and the inner side portion of the latter, and withthe arched base leg and the arched base portion compressing an elasticsealing element therebetween; one of the parts defined by the upper endportion and by the peripheral upper skirt of the upper end wall providedwith at least one circumferential retention rib turned to the other ofsaid parts, the other part being provided with a circumferentialretention groove defined between two face portions and conformed to befitted onto the retention rib upon fitting the upper end wall in theinterior of the upper end portion of the peripheral side wall and uponseating the face portions of said other part against the first of saidparts.
 19. The container of claim 18, characterized in that theretention rib and the retention groove are formed by deforming the metalsheet of the respective parts and present a cross section in theapproximate form of a rounded V, formed in convex and concave arcs,respectively.
 20. The container of claim 18, characterized in that oneof said parts defined by the upper end portion of the peripheral sidewall and by the peripheral upper skirt of the upper end wall is providedwith at least two axially spaced retention ribs forming, therebetween,an intermediary face portion in said part, the axially outermostretention rib being fitted in a respective retention groove of the otherpart, upon seating the intermediary face portion of said part against aconfronting face portion of the other part, and the axially innermostcircumferential rib of said one part being configured to be seatedagainst a retention portion of the other part, axially locking saidparts to each other.
 21. The container of claim 20, characterized inthat the retention ribs are provided in the peripheral upper skirt ofthe upper end wall, the retention groove being internally provided inthe upper end portion of the peripheral side wall.
 22. The container ofclaim 21, characterized in that the axially innermost face portionpresents an internally convex arched profile, to be seated against theintermediary face portion, of the peripheral upper skirt, presenting anexternally concave arched profile.
 23. The container of claim 22,characterized in that the axially outermost face portion presents aninternally convex arched profile to be seated against an end faceportion, with an externally concave arched profile, of the upper endwall.
 24. A container in metal sheet, comprising a peripheral side wallhaving an upper end portion and a lower end portion, to which respectiveupper end wall and lower end wall are affixed, characterized in that theupper end portion has a peripheral edge which is outwardly anddownwardly bent so as to define a retention hook with a profile in theform of an inverted U, having an inner lateral leg defined by part ofthe upper end portion, an arched base leg, and an outer lateral legconverging in relation to the inner lateral leg, the upper end wallcomprising a median panel and a peripheral upper skirt to be fitted andseated in the interior of the upper end portion and having an end edgewhich is outwardly, downwardly and inwardly bent so as to define aclosure hook with a profile in the form of an inverted U, having aninner side portion defined by the upper part of the peripheral upperskirt, an arched base portion, and an outer side portion converging inrelation to the inner side portion and incorporating, internally, an endflange projecting upwardly, the inner side portion, the arched baseportion and the outer side portion of the closure hook being internallyand respectively seated against the inner side leg, the arched base legand the outer lateral leg of the retention hook, with the end flangeprojecting upwardly to the interior of the retention hook, between theouter side portion and the inner side portion of the latter, and withthe arched base leg and the arched base portion compressing an elasticsealing element therebetween; the upper end portion of the peripheralside wall presenting, internally, a circumferential recess, theperipheral upper skirt of the upper end wall being externally providedwith a circumferential rib configured to be fitted in thecircumferential recess of the upper end portion, and with acircumferential groove positioned inferiorly to the circumferential riband configured to house an elastic sealing ring which is maintainedseated against a sealing portion, of the peripheral side wall, definedbeneath the circumferential recess of the latter.
 25. The container ofclaim 24, characterized in that the sealing portion of the peripheralside wall is defined by an axial extension of the latter, presenting aninner diameter inferior to the smallest diameter of a retention portionof the peripheral side wall, defined between said sealing portion andthe peripheral edge of the upper end portion.
 26. The container of claim25, characterized in that the sealing portion of the peripheral sidewall presents an inner diameter inferior to the inner diameter of theextension of the peripheral side wall disposed immediately beneath. 27.The container of claim 24, characterized in that the sealing portion iscylindrical.
 28. The container of claim 24, characterized in that thecircumferential groove is conformed so as to maintain the elasticsealing ring radially spaced back in relation to the circumferentialrib.